Make Way highballing in front in his trial at Menangle. He will be looking for the lead again on Saturday. PHOTO: Ashlea Brennan.
Ants: Make Way looking magnificent and his work points to big run on Saturday night
By Barry Lichter • 12 June 2020
Make Way has a slightly sticky draw at Menangle on Saturday night but will still be hard to beat, says leading horseman Anthony Butt.
The speedy four-year-old will line up at six on the gate in the opening event, an A$18,360 mile, and Butt says he’ll use the horse’s gate speed.
“We’ll come out and have a look. The favourite Motu Gatecrasher is in two and he’s got a bit of speed but we’ll go forward.
“He seems really good so I think he’ll be hard to beat.”
Trainer Sonya Smith elected to start Make Way this week, rather than wait for a more suitable 2300 metre race next Saturday, after the nominations showed he would slot in nicely into the second tier of free-for-allers.
Smith was expecting he might have to face tougher rivals on Saturday and, after his excellent trial win last week, was only too happy to start.
“His work has been really good since that trial,” says Butt. “He’s training as well as ever - and he looks magnificent in the coat.
“You’re always a bit sceptical how they’ll go after being gelded but he hasn’t missed a beat and his attitude has been really good. He’s been way better around the place.”
Butt says, on paper, Make Way is up to most in the field including Harry Martin’s Double Encounter who has drawn one inside him.
“It’s never easy at Menangle when you get up in grade but he’s made a good start to the season and he should be in for another good prep.
“There aren’t any features for the next couple of months but by October it will be full on and he will have a thousand options. There are good races in Melbourne and even Brisbane which has indicated it wants to take up the gap from the cancellation of the Interdominions in December.”
Make Way races at 6.57pm NZ time at Menangle on Saturday night.
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Nathan’s comments
Wednesday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
5.11pm
“She’s finding her feet and was a bit unlucky at Taupo. She put in a few rough ones out of the gate - she was like that early in her prep and could just jump out of it - but she’s generally doing things right now. She trained well on Saturday and, with the right run, could run top three.”
Race 3: The Night Fox
6pm
“He won really well on the second day at Hawera and if he races anything like he’s training he’ll be hard to beat. He ran a 27.3 quarter during the week and I was just sitting on him. I’ll tell Craig to go forward, set an even tempo and cut him loose at the 600. I think he’s our best of the night.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.35pm
“Hopefully he’s improved since Taupo when Fergie drove him a treat in front. I actually think he’s better coming off something’s back but I’ll leave it up to Fergie. He’s up a bit in grade but has the right draw to be in it all the way.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 5: Lincoln Wave
7.32pm
“He had an easy run last week and he can go a lot faster than that. He should be hard to beat. It won’t matter if he doesn’t find the lead from six, he’ll be just as effective coming from off the pace. He’s a pretty classy horse, classier than most of those against him.”
